Combined ladder and fruit conveyer



May 1, 1945. R. w. HAWES ,8

COMBINED LADDER AND FRUIT CONVEYER Filed Jan. 15, 1944 Inventor Gttomcg Patented May 1, 1945 COMBINED LADDER AND FRUIT CONVEYER Robert W. Hawes, Lakeland, Fla.

Application January 15, 1944, Serial No. 518,436

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a combined ladder and fruit conveyer, an object of the invention being to provide such a device whereby a person standing on the ladder picking fruit may drop it between i the ladder rounds at any height and at either side Figure 4 is a perspective detail view of one of the deflectors.

In the drawing, the numeral 1 designates a ladder, which may be of the customary sort having, rounds located midway of the breadth of the rails thereof, a suitable backing 2 being secured at the longitudinal edges thereof to the ladder rails to close in the ladder in rear and provide an open-front space 3 extending substantially the full length and the full width of the ladder and closed on three sides by said backing and the ladder rails, the ladder rounds extending transversely across the front of said space. This backing 2 in the present instance comprises a bulging flexible backing of canvas or the like, having the eflTect of enlarging said space which in the case of the ladder shown can be enlarged to advan-' tage.

Suitable means are provided to convert said space into a sinuous passageway for the fruit to retard the speed of the fall thereof, comprising in the present instance a central longitudinal partition 4 secured to the ladder rounds in rear and to which the central longitudinal portion of said backing is secured to insure said bulging; and a plurality of inclined deflectors 5 located between the ladder rails and said partition and also contacting and insuring the desired bulging of said backing and suitably secured in place, said de-' flectors being located in spaced staggered relation to one another in the two sides of said space 3, and said partition having spaced openings 6 located one at the lower end of each inclined deflector.

In this way, a person standing on the ladder, picking fruit, may drop it between the ladder rounds at any heightand at either side of the ladder and have the fruit delivered in good condition at the foot of the ladder on the ground.

The central longitudinal partition 4, andthe inclined transverse deflectors 5, as also the backing 2, are useful in bracing and strengthening the ladder which is desirable inasmuch as the ladder is put under some additional strain-in conveying the fruit to the ground. I i

The spaced staggered deflectors 5 located in rear of the ladder rounds will not interfere with the feet of a person using the ladder, inasmuch as they are sospaced from said rounds as to be out of the way.

I claim:

1. A combined ladderand fruit conveyer, comprising a ladder, a backing therefor covering in the'rear thereof providing an open-front space ,running the full length of the ladder and closed on three sides by said backing and the ladder rails, and means located .Within said space ,for' 1 converting the same into a sinuous passageway,

for the fruit to check the fall thereof comprising a. central longitudinal partition dividing said space into two sides, and a plurality of inclined deflectors located between the ladder rails and said partition in spaced staggered relation to one another, said partition having spaced openings located one at the lower end of each inclined deflector.

2. A combined ladder and fruit conveyer, com,- 1

prising a ladder, a backing therefor coveringin the rear thereof and secured to the ladder rails,

, thereby providing an open-front space extending substantially the full length and width of the ladder and closed upon three sides by said backing and said rails with the ladder rounds extending transversely across the front of said space, I and means for converting said space into a sinu ous passageway wherein fruit may be dropped between the ladder rounds at any height and at either side of the ladder and have the speed of its fall retarded and be delivered in good condition upon the ground, comprising a central longitudinal partition dividing said space into two sides, and a plurality of inclined deflectors located Within said space between the ladder rails and said partition in spaced staggered relation to one another, said partition having spaced open-1 ings located one at the lower end of each deflector, said deflectors having such spaced relation to said rounds as to be out of the way'of the feet of a person using the ladder.

3. A combined ladder and fruit conveyer, comprising a ladder having rounds located midway of the breadth of the rails thereof, a bulging length and width of the ladder and closed upon I three sides by said backing and said rails with the ladder rounds extendingtransversely across the front of said space, and means for converting said space into a sinuous passageway wherein fruit may be dropped between the ladder rounds at any height and at either side of the ladder and have the speed of its fall retarded and be deliv ered in good condition upon the'ground, comprising a central longitudinal partition dividing said space into two sides, said backing engaging said partition to insure said bulging, and a plurality of inclined deflectors located within said space between the ladder rails and said partition in spaced staggered relation to one another and contacting said backing to insure said bulging, said partition having spaced openings located one at the lower end of each deflector, said deflectors having such spaced relation to said rounds as to be outvof the way of the feet of a person using the ladder. v 7 i ROBERT W. HAWES. 

